During the months of the assembly operations, the Ares I-X team stuck a camera in the Vehicle Assembly Building to record everything. The result of 10 months of hard work stuffed into 5 minutes and 45 seconds.

Ares I-X is the first test flight in the Ares I development program. Ares I is a launch system for human spaceflights being developed by NASA. The vehicle used for the Ares I-X suborbital test flight will be similar in shape, weight and size to the planned configuration of later Ares I vehicles. Ares I-X is scheduled for launch on October 27, 2009.

Ares I vehicles are intended to launch Orion crew exploration vehicles which will in time go to the Moon, along with the Ares V launch system and the Altair lunar lander, Ares I and Orion are part of NASA's Constellation Program, which is developing spacecraft for U.S. human spaceflight after the Space Shuttle fleet is retired.

Looks like the whole Constellation program might be going out the window. Along with that the Americans will have no way of getting people into space. Just imagine the Russians saying "you ain't going to the space station no more, you cant get there and we are not taking you".

cena2020 wrote:Balloon can carry hardware for transponding TV signals and data. Area to be covered is of the size of UK. ... How far up the balloon will have to be ?... Is this already done ? If not why ? How much cheaper will it be compared to launching satellites in traditional ways using rockets ? How long will this setup last ?=====================================UPVC Doors|UPVC Front Doors

It was going to be part of mans return to the Moon and then to Mars. Its been canceled.